Monday, February 12, 2007

A Run In The Neighborhood

Yesterday was a pleasant day. I like to have a good sweat-breaking walk on the treadmill before daylight. But, being lazy, I procrastinated and procrastinated and just didn’t get around to it. Later, I was cooking lunch out on the grill and realized it was a beautiful day outside. After we ate I decided to go for a run.

Besides, I have copied some old LP albums and some were on my little MP3 player and that is the only time I get to listen to it is when I exercise outside – so, I decided to kill two birds with one stone.

I ran up and down the streets of subdivision to beat of The Beatles and Al Hirt’s Dixieland stuff. Not only did I enjoy the music but I think some dogs in the neighborhood also commented about my music – a few tried to harmonize by howling – I think their sensitive ears can pick up what is coming out my earphones.

I noticed it was a good day for realtors to show houses. Three houses for sale in the neighborhood has company, each had two additional cars in the their driveways, or on the street – one for the potential buyer and one for the sales person. I hope they had luck in selling. Soon grass will be growing and somebody needs to cut the grass.

A I was running and two people ahead of me were walking their dogs. One was a tall teenager I have seen waiting on the bus stop in the mornings and the other was a lady by the name of Anne in her late ‘60s.

The teenager had two big dogs, each wanting to go in opposite directions and Anne had a perk little baby poodle which looked like a contrast of the two bigger dogs.

Which reminds me – the other day, while driving out, at the end of our street and the entrance of the new McMansions newly built, I saw a huge black man in a dark blue running suit. He was maybe 6’5” or more, and he had a little white toy poodle. Speaking of contrasts! I reminded myself again it is important to always have my camera with me.

Back to being behind Anne and the teenager and their dogs: A car came along and got behind them. The two humans and the 3 dogs hogged the whole street. The car couldn’t pass them. They were so self-centered they were not aware of the car that had to stop. behind them or me. Whenever I exercise on the street I try to keep an awareness of all around me – I don’t want to be dog bit or ran over. But they didn’t seem to think of that. They just kept talking and walking slowly.

I didn’t let it interfere with my mission. I simply ran pass them by running through a yard. When I got to the next street corner before I turned in I saw they were still blabbing and the car was slowly creeping behind them.

I ran down a couple more streets and then back towards our house. By then Anne and her dog in her driveway. She waved and my heart rate was up to its maximum anyway, so needed a rest, so I stopped and spoke to her. She asked how was my health, she hadn’t talked to me in a while. I told her about my heart attack and my stroke (which I already told her one day at Wal-mart). She seemed surprised and concerned and told me about her opened heart surgery. Which she already told me one day at Wal-Mart, but of course she didn’t remember telling me that – but to be nice I acted like it was news… and I will the next time she tells me too.

Then she said the reason she asked me about my health is that she is talking a wonderful pill that cleanses every cell in your body and it has done wonders for her. I think she was trying to hawk some kind of Amway product or something on me… and it probably works on the pyramid scheme plan.

I told her I took too much prescribed medicine already and bent over and petted the poodle and asked questions about it.

As I ran off I said of course she didn’t remember me telling her of my heart attack and stroke because I am invisible. And of course she didn’t remember telling me of her opened heart surgery, because how can you tell empty air something?

But wait! Didn’t I act surprised also when she told me about her’s? Yes I did, the same as she did. So, maybe she went into her house muttering something about me not remembering we went through all this before….. now, who thinks they are invisible?